Toothbrush



Jan. 7, 1930.

E. R. HOFF TOOTHBRUSH Filed Aug. 27; 1928 V Y. W 9^ ikm ...lvxllLl .111| I lllllllllllllltlllll 1|. Il |I Il..

WITNESSES Patented Jan. 7, 1930 PATENT OFFICE EDWARD R. HOFF, F TOMPKINSVILLE, YORK '.roornnnusn Application filed August 27,7192'8. Serial No. 302,325.

The invention relates to tooth brushes. It is among the objects of the invention to provide a tooth brush with a removable 1 head, together with improved means for sefg; curing the head to the handle, and locking it in position to prevent relativelmovement therebetween.

y It is a further object of the invention to i provide in a device of the character set forth,

, a handle and brush head assembly in which 2o about its center to permit either end of the brush to be nearest` the handle.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved detachable brush element which may 'be readily applied to,'- and removed from the handle, and which may thus be utilized as a refill brush for replacement of worn brushes in connection with the invention.

`Other objects of the invention includes the improved locking means together withV the combination and interrelation of parts, whereby the whole forms a useful and etlicient article of manufacture which will be cheap in construction and simple in operation.

. the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the 'specicatiom togetherV with the drawings7 in whichj n Fig. 1 isa top plan view ofk one form of mypresent invention.- v

Fig. 2 is a sectional lustrated inFig. 1.- t Fig. 3 is a. sectional view taken on1 th line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the head and handle assembly in unlocked position.

' Fig. Bis a sectionalviewtakenon the line Y 5-5`of Fig. 4.

keyhole aperature in the upper face of a re- Numerous` other Vobjects and features of view` of the device il.V

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the locking means for nthe brush head.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is provided a tooth brush having a hollow7 tubular handle 10 which may be de- 55 signed to conform with any desired conventional form of tooth brush handle. The handle 1() terminates in a rectangular portion 11 against which the brush head-abuts as will be hereinafter described. The `brush head comprises a bristle-carrying base 12 projecting from the back of which 'a lug 14 is provided including a squared head 15, the opposite ends of the base 12 are provided with projecting lugs "16 formed integral therewith which are adapted to be selectively secured within the rectangular termination 11 of the handle 10. rlhe head 15 of the lug 14 isadapted to extendthrough a bayonet slotV or taining plate 17 carried by the handle'l() and movable with respect thereto; The plate 17 is provided v'with an 4extending arm 18 to kwhich is secureda contraction spring 20'adjustably associated with the free end of the handle 10 by means of a turn buckle 21 and screw 22 which is provided with an operating head 23 forming the closure for the otherwise open free end of the handle 10'. f

' It may be readily seen that vwith the head 12 associated with the plate 17, the lug`14 passing therethrough, lthat when the arm 18 of the plate 17 is. wholly within the tubular handle 10, that one of the projecting lugs 16 of the headl 12 is secured within-the rectangular end 11, and the brushis locked in this position.`

For maintaining the plate 17 in adjusted position, either extended, or with its arm 18 within the handlev 10, av sprlng member 24 is provided with projectionsr2). The projections 2'5 are adapted to be received selectively within an aperture 26 of the handle 10. It may be readilyk seen that the projections 25 of the spring member 24 when received with- 95 in the aperture 26, thus preventl relative movement of the plate 17 with respect to the handle'lO.,

In the `position thus described, it will be notedthat `the squared head 15 of thellug 14 100 that inward -movementlofthe p'late`17 car- '-frying the head`12 .andthe armV 18 within'the handlecauses'the approachl and engagement of. the lug'l'with' the bifurcate'd end 30 ofthe extends through the keyhole aperture and is positioned between the upper and lower surface of the plate 17. When the arm 18 is in retracted position within the handle 10, it will be noted that the lug 14 is positioned in the small en-d of the keyhole aperture, and thus, the head"15jprevents1its removalztherefromA until outward movement `l`of the plate 17 and arm 18 from the handle 10.

For providing `radditionalsfmeans for: locking the head 12, in its adjusted position, and to prevent rotation thereof, an extending. bifurcated arm 28 is provided rigidly secured to the handle 10 as at*29;itsbifurcated'end 30 being-.squared as illustrated in Fig. V8 to receive'the squared end 15 ofrthe lug 14. By the,provision of 1nember-28 it' will be'noted member '28. Thus locking the lug`14 within the small end'of thekeyhole. aperture v'and also'providing by: the squared configuration for the; head 12. Thus, it may beV seen that in operation "of 'i the device fromA thev oper- .ative'position showniinFig. 2,"the"'detent 25 lispushed inwardly to release itfrom the aperture 26,the plate'17 is'then free' to Amove `outwardly against the tension ofthe'spring 201 to assume a iposition'shownin Fig. v1. v"Thus, outward movement 4of the .plate 17 I thus bringingwhat was formerly thefar end' carrying withl it the head"'12`- 'disengages'V the head-` 15 and the lug1 14' from the bifurcated .end`30 ofthe member 28.

v''Ihe proj ectinglug 16' of thehead 12 is'also -disengaged'-fromv the rectangular termination `ofi.the'handle'10. 'The' brush 12 isthus'free to' rotate, usingV the lug 14'as'its pivot. 'The brush may thus .be turned'halffwayaround,

of the brushadja'cent theh'andl'e 10. vThe inder the .influenceof the springl'20,"1whereby the opposite lug 16 is locked' withintheend `.11' ofthe handle '10,v and the' bifurcate'dpor-` tion 30 of the member '28 engages the opposite side of the head 15 `ofthe`lug.1l1and secures thebrush in its newly' adjustedposi- .tion. `It will be understood that this feature fof the brush providesfor a longer :life-'of brush in that .whenl one end jof` the' brush* be comes worn, the brush maybe rev01ved;as

described, and the other end used at'the point j of greatest wear.

,"'It may also' be seen that'with this'construction, a 'brush in which the brushing surface Ais concave, may bethusrotatedto bring'the higher bristles to a newposition. i Thus,I giv- ,ing the eect of a different brush.VYJ Should it `bedesired to change the"brushfhead 412, the

detent 25 is' released from the "aperturet26,

and the plate 17 is moved outwardly from the handle 10; the rear detent 25 being engageable with the aperture 26 to retain the brush in the adjusted position against the tension of the spring 20. In this position, the member 28 is moved with respect to the plate 17, anddisengages the head15 allowing the lug 14 to` movewithrespect to theplate'|` 17 when '-tlrebrush is turned right angularly with re- Ig-spect to thefhandlelO;as shown in the dotted line position of Fig. 5. In this position, the .-rbrush may be moved toward the handle, thus bringing the head 15 into alignment with the f large'enfdo'f thekeylliole aperture and permitting the removal of the head 12 fromthe plate`f17.""The'head 12- may then be discarded and a -new 4 sin'iila-rl head beprovided.

f lAfter insertionthrough' the Akeyholeiaperyture-'of vthelug Maand'head'f 152 of the new fbrnsh, the'brush is revolvedto afposition im 85 alignment withthe Ahandle 110. The rear dej tent is then depressed,disengaging it from the 'rear' aperturel 26' and allowing the plate 517to be movedinwardly'withl respectl to the handle andthe brush-tothe spring' 20. Luggo rlof'thenewfhead-is thus engaged within the; rectangular'apertureof `Vthe handlev 10, f `'and' the; bifurcated'end 30= ofthe member'f 28 receives the squared head 15of thel-lugflaj;

and lloclrsthe brushY in the position' illustrated 95 "as inf'Figs. 1-'an'd 2.

"Itwill'be l.understoodthat the brush assem- Lbly includingthe' head with thelaterlally prol'jecting'ends and Athe squared flug v'maybe `formed separatelylan'd sold. separatelyas 3100 refill to be used inconnect'ion with thelhandle 'as hereinHdescribed-v The-brushes therefore, areseparate articles 'of manufacture, and it 'is understoo'dthat the'invention' is notcon- `form`v of handleI herein disclosed.

s'Thus-l 'it may be '-seen that `my invention provides an improved device of thev character set forth in'whichV4 the brushehead is adjust- 'ably' associated withI respectI to the 'handlg 'and means'arexprovided for locking the brush inthe adjusted' position.A The invention also providesrfor. the interchangeability of brush 'lieads; the `structurebeing a novelimprovement in the art t0 which the invention'related.:7 115 "It""will "be understood 'that numerous changes and modifications from the embodiment`v of theinvention' herein described. and illustrated -may lbe'V resorted Ato without de- 4parting'from the spirit and scope of the inf' Vvvention as outlined in'the'appende'dfclaims.

I claim: Y

,1. A device of the character 'setforthycom- *prising a handle, an' extending member rigidly secured thereto, a plate havingan extended' portionadapted'to L be 'received within said A'handle,-and 'adapted to-receive` said rigidV ex- .tension of said handle, a keyholefaperture inV said plate, "a brush 'heafdf'havinganf extending lug receivable through saidaperture', said* 13o rigid extension of said handle being adapted to engage said lug to retain said brush in one of a plurality of positions when said rigid extension is Wholly received in said plate.

2. A device of the character set forth comprising a handle, an extending member rigidly secured thereto, a plate having an extended portion adapted to be received Within said handle, and adapted to receive said rigid extension of said handle, a keyhole aperture in said plate, a brush head having an ex# tending lug receivable through said aperture,

said rigid extension of said handle being adapted to engage said lug to retain said brush in one of a plurality of positions when said rigid extension is Wholly received in said plate, and means for normally urging said plate and handle in position to so lock said head. y

EDWARD R. HOFF. 

